Mauritania
About Mauritania
Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country located in Africa, specifically within the Western Africa subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Nouakchott, and the country is home to approximately 4.9 million people. In its native language, the country is known as βΩ ΩΨ±ΩΨͺΨ§ΩΩΨ§β. Arabic serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Mauritania. The official currency in circulation is the Mauritanian ouguiya (UM), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Mauritania is widely recognised for the Iron Ore Train, ancient caravan cities and Saharan dunes. People from Mauritania are referred to as Mauritanian.
Geography & climate
Mauritania covers approximately 1.03 million kmΒ² of territory, making it a large country by land area. It shares land borders with 4 neighbouring countries β a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Mauritania sits in the Northern and Western Hemisphere, at roughly 20.0Β° N, 12.0Β° W. Standard civil time follows UTC year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Mauritania can be summarised as: sahara desert & atlantic coast with hot & arid. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.
People, language & society
With roughly 4.9 million inhabitants, Mauritania is a modestly populated country. The principal spoken language is Arabic, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Locals refer to their homeland as βΩ ΩΨ±ΩΨͺΨ§ΩΩΨ§β, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Mauritanian, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Mauritanian ouguiya (UM) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.
Quick facts at a glance
- ποΈ CapitalNouakchott
- π Official nameIslamic Republic of Mauritania
- π£οΈ Native nameΩ ΩΨ±ΩΨͺΨ§ΩΩΨ§
- π§ DemonymMauritanian
- π RegionWest Africa
- π SubregionWestern Africa
- π Area1.03 million kmΒ²
- π₯ Population4.9 million
- π‘οΈ ClimateSahara desert & Atlantic coast Β· Hot & arid
- πΊοΈ Land borders4
- π¬ LanguageArabic
- π° CurrencyMauritanian ouguiya (UM)
- π Calling code+222
- π Internet TLD.mr
- π Drives onright side
- π Time zoneUTC
- πΊπ³ UN memberYes
Practical travel & daily-life info
Visitors planning a trip to Mauritania should familiarise themselves with the capital, Nouakchott, the local time zone (UTC), the local currency (Mauritanian ouguiya). The international dialling prefix is +222, which is required when phoning a Mauritania number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .mr, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.
Government & global standing
Mauritania is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Mauritania is generally classified within the Africa region and more specifically the Western Africa subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. GlobeIQ groups it under "West Africa" for the purposes of the game's regional hint.
Bordering countries
Mauritania shares land borders with 4 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:
Did you know?
One of Earth's longest and heaviest trains β stretching 2.5 km with 200+ cars β carries iron ore while passengers ride free atop the cargo.
Mauritania in the GlobeIQ atlas
Inside the GlobeIQ game, Mauritania appears as a tougher puzzle reserved for geography fans who can pick up subtler hints. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints β silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city β before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Mauritania carries the personality tags βπ Iron-Ore Trainβ and βπͺ Saharan Caravansβ, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Mauritania to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.